It's Only Natural
by sakarrie
Summary: The process of falling for someone isn't always a concious one. Or a wanted one. Plance! My take on how Plance would develop if it were canon. For OppsieDasi!


Hey everyone!

Okay, okay. I know it's been awhile but don't worry I haven't forgotten about you guys! Honestly, the fandom was just kinda toxic for a bit after the season 8 release and, while I understand why some of them weren't satisfied, it was frustrating that they weren't respecting the creators work. After all, they never _had_ to share V:LD with us. And I get that things didn't end the way a lot of people wanted, but we should remember that this isn't the fandom's story to decide. It's the creators, so I like to think that we should appreciate that they took all the time and effort to put their whole story and art together cause honestly, that takes a lot. Besides, if you aren't satisfied with how something went down, that's what fanfiction's for!

Anyway, so I just wanted to wait til everything calmed down a bit but then it was Christmas and New Year's and back to school and yadda yadda yadda. If you want to hear my excuses, I got plenty, but also I shouldn't found a chance to post during that time.

And I'm sure a ton of you are wondering why this update isn't for Fragmentation. Don't worry, that's definitely coming (though it may be a bit). In the meantime, here's a super belated Christmas Present for OppsieDasi!

Honestly, you seriously are such a sweetheart. You're always super supportive of my stories and you were one of the beginning people to join my server. It's not uncommon for me to have been offline and someone has a question or something and you answered it or welcomed new people to the server or whatever else I wasn't there to do. You're always so positive and I really enjoy knowing you! And thanks for being so understanding with the timing. I'm officially only using google docs now, haha! (: Anyway, I hope you had a fantastic Christmas and have an amazing 2019!

Summary: My take on how Plance could line up with the canon series. Spoilers for season 1.

Edit: This chapter has been revised. (:

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Lance knew he had stumbled upon a trouble-case the second his offer of pizza was rejected.

He could see it in the stiffness of the small boy's posture, the way his shoulders hunched slightly, as if trying to hide himself. And how he looked when Iverson walked by? He wasn't concerned about getting shouted at. No, he was concerned about getting caught. This kid had a secret. And Lance was going to figure it out.

That had been about a week ago but he hasn't learned anything since. In fact, he's hardly even talked to this mysterious "Pidge". Both Lance and Hunk had both tried to engage him in conversations, but he never seemed very interested. Usually his answers were short, vague, and clipped. Other times, all they'd get for their efforts was a mere grunt.

Once he realized Pidge wasn't going to open up to him on his own, Lance took to watching the short boy during their classes. He always seemed to be fiddling with some contraption or working on his laptop. He could never quite tell what he had up though.

Pidge always seemed to be doing that: in his own head, working on something else. But if the teacher ever called on the boy, hoping to catch him in his distraction, he would simply get up and complete the problem or drill or whatever it was that they were doing.

Pidge always got it right.

It infuriated him. Each day, Lance would take careful notes, ask questions, and study the material thoroughly, but he still struggled to even pass his tests. The fact that some kid could be playing some video games or something during class and still pass with flying colours just wasn't fair.

Another part of him, however, was in awe. He secretly wanted to ask Pidge how he did it, maybe even see if he was willing to help explain a few concepts that Lance hadn't understood. Perhaps that could be a way to get Pidge to open up to him and Hunk? He'd have to keep that in mind for later.

Pidge didn't always seem uninterested though. In fact, in their robotic engineering class, he almost looked entranced. There was something in his eyes so childlike, so genuine when he'd watch the droids whizzing around the room. He appeared to glow in his excitement, golden eyes wide.

Sometimes Lance had to remind himself that he was watching him for a reason.

Lance blamed it on the boy's unusual mood shifts. After all. Who wouldn't be intrigued with why the boy seemed so enthralled in one class while completely inattentive in the others? Everyone must have been curious.

Well, everyone except for Hunk apparently.

Lance brought it up during lunch one day but Hunk had simply shrugged, swallowing a mouthful of what they'd appointed 'garrison grain'. The cooks seemed to think that giving the students dry, tasteless food would help prepare them for space.

Hunk gave his usual frown at the disgusting food, his face a mixture of pity and indignation, before turning his attention back to Lance. "Maybe he just likes robotics? It's not that uncommon to have a class you really like."

Lance shook his head insistently. "But how does he get, like, everything right then! I swear, he hasn't taken a single page of notes since we got here!"

As if summoned by their conversation, Pidge appeared in the doorway, headphones on and carrying his laptop. Not even glancing in their direction, he walked to an empty table in the back and sat down. Lance lowered his voice conspiratorially, "I mean, look at him! He's definitely hiding something. If only I could catch a glimpse of what he always had up on his computer..."

Hunk shot a disapproving look in Lance's direction and turned to glance at Pidge. Noticing the movement, Pidge looked up and Hunk waved amiably to him. The boy gave a quick tight-lipped smile of acknowledgement before returning his attention to the computer.

Hunk span back to Lance, who had a look of utmost betrayal on his face. Used to Lance's dramatics, Hunk just shrugged. "He seems fine to me. A bit... reserved, but that doesn't mean he has a big secret." Hunk glanced back at Pidge again. "Besides, I don't really think we should be prying in on his personal life. I mean, he does have a right to his privacy."

Hunk spoke in a gentle, non-judgemental tone, but Lance could tell he wasn't at all convinced about Pidge yet. Well, he'd just have to convince him then.

Leaning so he could clearly see around Hunk, Lance shouted out, "Hey, Pidge! Come sit with us!"

After all, the easiest way to learn about someone is to surround yourself with them.

Lance took it back. Whoever declared spending time around people the "easiest" way to get to know them had obviously never met Pidge.

In fact, even trying to spend time with him was a challenge.

When Lance told Hunk that he wanted to hang out with Pidge more, Hunk readily agreed. After all, their first flying simulation was coming up soon and they still had hardly interacted.

But Pidge clearly wasn't perturbed by that fact if his continuous avoidance of them meant anything.

Both Lance and Hunk had been going out of their way to invite him to sit with them at lunch or go catch a movie sometime, but they were all met with rejection.

At first it was a simple "I'm working on stuff" or "I'm busy tonight" but when it became clear that they weren't going to stop, Pidge's answers became more dodgy. He started eying them more cautiously, varying his answers along the lines of "I'm just going to eat in my room" or "I'm not feeling well." Lance had even caught him trying to slip out of the room before they could notice him a few times.

Yeah, he definitely had a secret.

"Who even is this guy?" Lance exclaimed down to Hunk on the bottom bunk bed.

Hunk sighed, having had this conversation too many times already. "Maybe he just gets sick a lot. Or doesn't like movies."

Lance made a sound of outrage at the mere notion that anyone could dislike movies, but he recognized that Hunk was tired and decided not to push it tonight. Besides, Hunk liked to go to sleep early and it was almost 11:00 PM.

Forcing himself to lie back and try to relax, Lance grabbed his phone and ear buds. He often had a hard time sleeping away from his own bed, but listening to music seemed to help.

Lance still was riled up about Pidge though. The kid was just so infuriating. Combining his annoying habit of always being right and the obvious distrust he has for them, Lance just couldn't stop thinking about him. He just needed to solve the boy's mystery. Find out what he's hiding. Why he's so uncaring of his classes. Why his nose flares everytime the Kerberos mission is mentioned. Why his lopsided grin only appears during robotic engineering...

Lance just needed to scratch the itch his curiosity made. Then he'd be able to let it go and stop thinking about him.

Obviously.

* * *

Alrighty! I hope it was worth that wait! It's my first time writing romance and I'm definitely more of a slow-burn type gal. That being said, the first chapter is a bit boring, since it's merely introducing them to each other and all that. It'll get more interesting as it goes!

Also! I've decided to start putting little previews for the next chapters on some of my fics.

So for It's Only Natural Ch 2: If they were going to pass their simulation next time, they were going to need to bond. Of course, as the trio and two other strangers are blasted off into space in a robotic lion, they probably have some time before their next simulation test.

And since I haven't posted a new Fragmentation chapter yet, here's a preview for that too: Pidge wakes up to find herself face to face with the scientist who's creating the serums.

So I hope that gives you a bit of hype during the wait for new chapters! Thanks to all of y'all for reading!

Remember, you're all amazing and stronger than you think. You got this!

-Sakarrie (:


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